Man who allegedly wanted hit man seeks continuance

Published: April 13, 2004 8:00PM

Rick Stillion
The Daily Jeffersonian
The Fleming man accused of attempting to hire a hit man to kill his former business partner has filed a motion with the Guernsey County Common Pleas Court seeking to continue his jury trial scheduled for April 27-29.
Douglas R. Huffman, 51, is facing two counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, first-degree felonies.
The continuance was denied at this time, but the court stipulated that if the motion is granted, the trial would begin Aug. 10.
Huffman was arrested in Cambridge in December 2003 by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Cambridge police officers when he traveled to the city for what he reportedly believed was a meeting with the killer.
The hit man was instead a law enforcement officer posing as a killer for hire, and Huffman was apprehended in the parking lot of a Southgate Parkway business.
Through defense counsel Dennis L. Sipe, of Marietta, the court also received the defendants proposed jury instructions regarding affirmative defense of entrapment and witness list.
The court addressed issues regarding Huffmans bond during the recent hearing.
Huffman was granted a $250,000 cash/surety bond and personal recognizance bond with special conditions, including house arrest and electronic monitoring.
On April 6, the court received notification from Secured Monitoring Systems that certain violations occurred where Huffman allegedly left his home without approval.
Judge David A. Ellwood ordered Huffman to comply with the terms and conditions of electronic monitoring house arrest as a condition of his bond and to have no further violations.
Finally, the court took a motion for change of venue under advisement.
In other court news:
Eric M. Chandler, 25, Cambridge, was ordered to be evaluated for placement at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center after being convicted of one count of theft, a fifth-degree felony.
Chandler previously filed a motion seeking treatment in lieu of conviction, but his failure to enroll in an approved drug rehabilitation program reportedly prevented Ellwood from granted his request.
Chandler instead entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to up to six months at EOCC, if approved as a candidate. Upon successful completion of the program, he will be placed on four years of Community Control Sanctions.
Chandler was ordered to pay $175.25 in restitution to the victim in the case.
Oza Draper, 43, Columbus, was sentenced to five years of Community Control Sanctions following a conviction for possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony. A mandatory six-month drivers license suspension was also imposed by the judge.
Draper was ordered to pay supervision fees and court costs, but no fine was imposed based on his cooperation in the case against Edna Reed, 52, Columbus, who was also indicted on one count of possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony.
Robert H. Gillogly III, 27, Zanesville, entered a negotiated plea of no contest, and will be sentenced on May 10 at 2:30 p.m. He was indicted on two counts of driving while under the influence, fourth-degree felonies.
A pre-sentence investigation was ordered by the court.
Patricia Hill, 21, Senecaville, entered a written guilty plea to the court as part of a motion seeking treatment in lieu of conviction. The court ordered the plea be held in abeyance pending further orders of the court.
A future hearing was scheduled for May 7 at 1 p.m., and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered.
The court revoked Hills recognizance bond and remanded her into the custody of the Guernsey County Sheriffs Office until such time as she tests negative for illegal drugs.
Michael S. Sullivan, 23, Byesville, entered a written guilty plea to the court as part of a motion seeking treatment in lieu of conviction. The court ordered the plea be held in abeyance pending further orders of the court.
A future hearing was scheduled for May 7 at 1 p.m., and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered.
The court revoked Sullivans recognizance bond and remanded him into the custody of the Guernsey County Sheriffs Office until such time as he tests negative for illegal drugs.